Shloka 166

Adhyaya 70: आदिसर्गः—महत्-अहङ्कार-तन्मात्रा-भूतसृष्टिः, ब्रह्माण्डावरणम्, प्रजासर्गः, त्रिमूर्ति-शैवाधिष्ठानम्

Devanagari script

ततो ऽर्वाक्स्रोतसां सर्गः सप्तमः स तु मानुषः अष्टमो ऽनुग्रहः सर्गः सात्त्विकस्तामसश् च सः

Transliteration

tato 'rvāksrotasāṃ sargaḥ saptamaḥ sa tu mānuṣaḥ aṣṭamo 'nugrahaḥ sargaḥ sāttvikastāmasaś ca saḥ

Translation

Después viene la séptima creación, llamada «arvāk-srotas» (la que fluye hacia abajo): en verdad, es el orden humano. La octava es la «anugraha-sarga», la creación por la gracia divina, que se manifiesta tanto en el modo sāttvika como en el tāmasa.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: thereafter

• arvāk-srotasām: of those whose current flows downward (downward-tending beings)

• sargaḥ: creation, emanation

• saptamaḥ: seventh

• saḥ: that

• tu: indeed

• mānuṣaḥ: human

• aṣṭamaḥ: eighth

• anugrahaḥ: grace, divine favor

• sargaḥ: creation

• sāttvikaḥ: sāttvika (luminous, clarity-dominant)

• tāmasaḥ: tāmasa (inertial, obscuring)

• ca: and

• saḥ: that (creation)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana’s sarga taxonomy to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It frames human life (mānuṣa-sarga) as a stage where Shiva’s anugraha (grace) becomes decisive—Linga worship is a primary Shaiva means to receive that grace and loosen pasha (bondage) upon the pashu (soul).

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

By introducing anugraha-sarga, it points to Shiva as Pati whose essential function is grace: He can uplift beings through sāttvika illumination and also operate within tāmasa conditions to transform and liberate the bound soul.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse implies anugraha-centered sadhana—Pashupata-oriented discipline and Linga-puja aimed at increasing sattva, reducing tamas, and making the pashu fit for Shiva’s liberating favor.